i try to plant mine about 1/4" under the soil or less. 100% of the time my beans break dirt within a day...ive yet to lose one this way.......as for planting them correctly...it hold water, one of my beans musta shifted when i watered them, and it came out all sideways and curved, it stayed that way until harvest....i swear it hurt yield a lil bit cuz it was the smallest one in a uniform bunch